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Civil War Soldiers - Emory

Emory, William H., major-general, U.S.
Army, was born in Poplar Grove, Queen Anne county, Md., Sept. 9, 1811,
was graduated at the United States military academy in 1831 and
appointed lieutenant in the 4th artillery. He was on garrison duty at
Charleston, S. C, during the nullification excitement, was engaged on
the Delaware breakwater and in the survey of the northwest boundary,
1837-46, went with Gen. Stephen M. Kearny to California in 1846, and
was on his staff during the Mexican war, receiving the brevet of
captain for action at San Pasqual, Dec. 6, 1846, and major for San
Gabriel, Jan. 9, 1847. He was on topographical duty on the Mexican
boundary line from 1848 till 1853, was promoted lieutenant-colonel for
this service, was in Kansas in 1854 and in Utah in 1858, and remained
on border duty until May 9, 1861, when he resigned. In 1861 he
captured with his command, and brought to Fort Leavenworth, Kan., the
first prisoners of war taken by Federal troops in the Civil war, a
body of Confederate troops from Texas. He was appointed
lieutenant-colonel of the 6th cavalry, May 14, 1861, and took part in
the Peninsular campaign under McClellan, engaging at Yorktown,
Williamsburg, and Hanover Court House, and on March 17, 1862, was
commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers. Gen. Emory commanded a
division under Gen. Banks in 1863, was raised to the command of the
19th corps and accompanied Banks in the Red River expedition of 1864,
in which the displayed unusual skill and bravery, winning especial
distinction at Sabine cross- roads, Pleasant Hill, and Cane river. He
was afterwards transferred to the army operating in Virginia, where he
defeated Early at Opequan creek, Sept. 19, 1864, and fought in the
subsequent battles of Fisher's hill and Cedar creek. He commanded the
department of West Virginia in 1865, and in Jan., 1866, was mustered
out of the volunteer army. He was awarded the brevets of major-general
in the volunteer army, July 23, 1864, brigadier-general and
major-general U. S. A., March 13, 1865, and on Sept. 25, 1865, was
commissioned full major-general of volunteers. After the war he was
successively in command of the Department of Washington and the
Department of West Virginia, and was retired in 1876 with the rank of
brigadier-general in the regular army. Gen. Emory died in Washington,
D. C., Dec. 1, 1887.

Source: The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal
States 1861-1865, Volume 8 Biographical, 1908